Katniss Huntress Cowl

Katniss Huntress Cowl

Are you like me? Did you sit up straighter and say Wow! when you saw the funky asymmetrical cowl that Katniss wore in the Hunger Games? It’s pretty awesome, isn’t it? 

I looked for a pattern off and on a few months after seeing the movie and never saw an inspired version that really gave me the same shivers as the original. A lot of skilled knitters have been busy designing in the interim, trying to capture that same shivery impact.

The original cowl was not even knit. It was woven. Crazy, huh? It certainly looks knitted. More than that, there are some versions out there now that come mighty close to that Katniss cowl. Pretty impressive. 

The challenge was there and a few designers came up with knitted versions that come mighty close. Most of them incorporate both crocheting and knitting but they did it, they managed to knit what was originally made on a loom. I find that mighty impressive. So many talented people out there.

It's the rope-like cords forming the cowl that I find most striking. I've seen some versions where the cords are simulated with alternating rows of garter or reverse stockinette. I was thinking welting could have been used to form the cords, before finding out that it was woven. I think an icord or welting would generate the same effect. The rest looks pretty basic. It's the cords that look tricky and to me what makes the original cowl stand out.

I hope to try my hand at making a version as soon as I have a bit more time. I already got the yarn. It really strikes a primal chord inside me, that raw, primitive covering with its purely functional purpose.